And today was another day

Well, I don't necessarily take back what I wrote yesterday, but, I do modify it. Today, the whole household -- which was the younger two short -- was lovely, superb, delightful. I'll keep them.

Upon our return from school I asked that Leo and our younger boy saw the thick fig tree branches sitting outside since this summer into lengths that would fit into the wood stove. Together (amazing) they did nearly all of it. Forty-five minutes of civilized, shared labor between these very very different twelve year olds. Ahhhh, it does the heart good. It wasn't a perfect job, they'll need to re-cut 15 or so branches that are too long, but, hey, it's mostly done and I'm just going to bask in this golden moment.

Later, the idea of crêpes for a snack came up. But then they all went through my bread and the various boxes of cereal in the house (Leo finished off the Cheerios carried across the Atlantic by our cousin). Nevertheless, the idea stuck in at least one child's head. While Leo, our teen girl and I watched Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse in The Band Wagon, our young boy came upstairs to ask me for the recipe:

4 eggs, enough flour whisked in to make a thick paste, milk whisked in till the texture of cream, a touch of salt, a spoonful of sugar.

Happily taking this in, he returned downstairs. And as we watched Fred slink across the jazzy stage with the leggy Cyd Charisse, the lovely scent of crêpes wafted up to us.

Movie over, down we three went to enjoy a feast prepared by a child who was truly angelic today. Just goes to show, don't over react (me) and open the door and space to possibilities. Children can, and often will, surprise you. And yes, I both acknowledged and thanked him. I firmly believe in praising good behavior!!